Evaluation of Good Manufacturing Practice Compliance in Cosmetic Manufacturing Facilities Inspected by NAFDAC in Lagos, Lagos State

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance in the cosmetic industry is essential to ensure product safety, microbiological quality, and consumer protection. This study evaluated the level of GMP compliance, with particular focus on microbiological quality control, among cosmetic manufacturing facilities inspected by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Inspection reports of 35 cosmetic manufacturers were reviewed retrospectively over a three-year period. Deficiencies were categorized using NAFDAC's GMP inspection checklist domains including personnel hygiene, water quality, manufacturing environment, quality control laboratory, and product release testing. In-person facility audits were additionally conducted at 10 facilities. Results revealed that 68.6 percent of facilities had documented GMP deficiencies. The most frequent infractions were in microbiological quality control laboratory capability (71.4% deficient), manufacturing environment cleanliness (62.9%), and water quality documentation (57.1%). Only 31.4 percent of manufacturers conducted finished product microbiological testing before release. Repeat inspection deficiencies over successive audit cycles were identified in 40 percent of facilities. These findings indicate systemic GMP compliance challenges in Lagos cosmetic manufacturing and argue for the mandatory provision of certified microbiological testing laboratories, stronger regulatory enforcement of repeat deficiencies, and capacity-building programs for GMP implementation in small-scale cosmetic enterprises. Keywords: GMP compliance, cosmetic manufacturing, NAFDAC, microbiological quality control, Lagos.